Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Owen Phillips, a merino hosiery factory stoker, born 1855 in Holbeach, Lincolnshire and was baptised on the 23rd September 1855 in the Parish Church, Holbeach and his wife Mary Phillips (nee Woolley, married on the 23rd December 1875 in Emmanuel Church, Loughborough, Leicestershire), born 1853 in Smalley, Belper, Derbyshire. James Bullimore was born in 1878 in Loughborough, Leicestershire, his siblings were, Elizabeth, born 1877, Harley, born 1878 and Anne, born 1880, all his siblings were born in Loughborough, also residing with the family were James’ paternal Grandfather, Joseph Bullimore Phillips, a house painter, born 1828 in Lincolnshire and his wife Elizabeth Phillips, born 1820 in Pickworth, Lincolnshire, in April 1881 the family home was at Court A, 3, Wellington Street, Loughborough. In April 1891 James was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at32, Sparrow Hill, Loughborough, together with his father, a bricklayer’s labourer, his mother and siblings, Elizabeth, a hosiery trade hose turner, Hannah, a schoolgirl, Owen, a schoolboy, born 5th November 1882, Edward, a schoolboy, born 1884, Sarah Ellen, a schoolgirl, born 1886, Mary Ann, born 1888 and John, born 1891, the latter five siblings were all born in Loughborough. In March 1901 James was employed as a brick maker and was residing in the family home at Court C, 11, Wards End, Loughborough, together with his widowed mother, a hosiery trade seamer and his siblings, Owen, a foundry worker, Edward, a brickyard labourer, Sarah, a hosiery trade hose turner, Mary, John, Joseph, born 1st March 1893 and Florrie, born 1895, the latter two siblings were both born in Loughborough. In April 1911 James was employed as a slater’s labourer, and was residing in the family home at 4, Rudkin Street, Leicester, together with his wife Frances Phillips (nee Humphrey, married on the 31st May 1903 in Christ Church, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire), born 1881 in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire and their children, Wilfred, born 26th February 1907 and Ernest, born 15th April 1908, the latter two children were both born in Loughborough, and Frances, born 1910 in Leicester. James also had an older brother, Harley, born in 1877 in Loughborough and who died on the 12th April 1921 in Leicester, aged 44. His younger brother Owen died when his ship H.M.S. Bulwark sank after an internal explosion. James’ father died in April 1898 in Leicestershire aged 43 and his mother died on the 23rd December 1905 in Lincolnshire aged 50.
James’ Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the Leicestershire Regiment, being allotted the service number 10/18884, and was posted as a Private to the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment and with this unit he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 18th September 1915. James died of acute nephritis at Berles au Bois, France on the 17th December, 1915, he was awarded the 1914-15 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 17 Dec-15 - There was a good deal of sniping on both sides during the day, the day was wet and several falls occurred blocking the communication trenches. Whilst repairing No. 10419 Private. R. MALIN, “B” Company was killed. The following wounded, No. 10963 Corporal. W. SPENCER, machine gunner wounded in leg. No. 16263 Private. A. BRIARS, “A” Company knee badly smashed by bullet, leg since amputated. A patrol under 2nd Lieutenant DAGG discovered a large German working party on their parapet at 2.30am. The patrol returned and a battery was turned on to this point and it is thought did much damage to the party. Machine Guns on both sides were very active. No. 18884 Private J. PHILLIPS died of acute nephritis (“C” Company).